Support for hollow articles providing means to control the cooling of the material within the article



2,530,238v TROL 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 INVENTOR EE. FRANZ ATTORNEY E. E. FRANZ RTICLES PROVIDING MEANS T0 CON THE COOLING OF THE MATERIAL WITHIN THE ARTICLE Original Filed July 26, 1944 FIG.

Nov. 14, 1950 SUPPORT FOR HOLLOW A E. E. FRANZ RTICLE Nov. 14, 1950 2,530,238, SUPPORT FOR riOLLOW A s PROVIDING MEANS TO CONTROL ERIAL WITHIN THE ARTICLE THE COOLING OF THE MAT Original Filed July 26, 1944 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 w wt A T TO/PNEV Patented Nov. 14, 1950 SUPPORT FOR HOLLOW ARTICLES PROVID- ING MEANS TO CONTROL THE COOLING OF'THE MATERIAL WITHIN THE ARTICLE Erwin E. Franz, Cranford, N. J., assignor to Western Electric Company, Incorporated, New York, N. Y., a corporation of New York Original application July 26, 1944, Serial No.

4 Claims. 1

This is a division of the applicant's copending application, Serial No. 546,708, filed July 26, 1944, now Patent 2,489,878, and relates to support for hollow articles providing means to control the cooling of the material within the article, more particularly to machines for potting electrical units.

In the manufacture of certain electrical units such as coils of particular types, metallic casings, commonly known as cans, are provided to house the coils or given portions thereof, the casings being filled with an insulating compound. In filling cans or containers of electrical units with a sealing compound which is poured into the container in a molten state and allowed to cool, there exists fissures or other pockets in the material. If the material is allowed to cool normally without any controlling factor, the heat of the material will be expelled through the metal container and the material will therefore begin its solidification adjacent the container, resulting in the presence of the fissures adjacent the core or central portion of the unit in which the members to be sealed are disposed.

An object of the invention is to provide a loading machine which is simple in structure, efficient in operation, and highly practical for hollow articles.

With this and other objects in view, the invention comprises a support for a hollow article, means to fill the article with a molten material, and means to control the cooling of the material.

Other objects and advantages will be apparent from the following detailed description when considered in conjunction with the accompanying drawings, wherein Fig. l is a horizontal sectional view of the machine;

Fig. 2 is a fragmentary vertical sectional view taken substantially along the line 22 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is an enlarged fragmentary vertical sectional view of one of the unit supports;

Fig. 4 is a fragmentary elevational view of the machine; and

Fig. 5 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view taken along the line 5-5 of Fig. 2.

Referring now to the drawings, attention is first directed to Fig. 1 which illustrates a base 25 supported by suitable legs 2| and centrally apertured to receive a supporting bracket 22. A reduced end 23 of a stationary shaft 24 is supported in the central aperture of the bracket 22, the latter being fixedly mounted in the aperture of the base 20 by means of screws 25. An annular apertured plate 28, disposed concentric Divided and this application May 19, 1945, Serial No. 594,611

with the shaft 24, rests upon the bracket 22 and is fixed thereto as at 29. Annular grooves 30 and 3| are formed in the bracket '22 in registration with sets of apertures 32 and 33 in the annular plate 28. A similar annular member 34, with like apertures therein for communication with their respective apertures 30 and 33, is also disposed concentric with the shaft 24 and is fixed to a hub 36. The hub 36 includes bearings 3! and is rotatable on the shaft 24. The hub is a part of a turret indicated generally at 38 and having an upper member 39, an intermediate member 40, and a lower member 4|. Through the aid of these members compartments 42 and 43 are formed, closed at the outer edges thereof through the aid of an annular member 44. By viewing Fig. 2, it will be noted that sets of passageways 45 and 46 complete communication with their respective sets of apertures in the annular plate 28 and annular member 34.

In the present embodiment the electrical unit includes a molded body 50 supporting a plurality of terminals and having coils or other structures formed thereon, the leads of which are fixed to their respective terminals 5|. A metallic can or container 52 is disposed over the upper portions of the body 50 and the inner structure of the unit, an aperture 53 being provided in the upper end of the container. The bodies 50 are hollow for given portions of their lengths to receive supports 54. The supports 54 are identical in structure, there being provided a multiplicity of pairs thereof disposed in circular arrangement as illustrated in Figs. 1 and 2.

Attention is directed to Fig. 3 for the detailed structure of the supports 54. The support illustrated in this figure includes a hollow member 56 of the cross-sectional contour shown, closed at its upper end 51, upon which the body 50 rests, and including a thin-walled upper portion 58 and a larger lower portion, the latter being threaded at 59 and disposed in a threaded aperture 60 of the upper member 39 of the turret. A tubular member 6|, supported in a threaded element 62, mounted in a threaded aperture 63 of the intermediate member 40, extends into the hollow member 56 short of the full length thereof and spaced from the inner wall of the member to allow for the passage of a cooling fluid therebetween. The tubular member 6|, therefore, communicates with the compartment 42, while the member 56 communicates with the compartment 43.

In potting electrical units, that is, in filling cans or containers thereof with a sealing compound which is poured into the container in a molten state and allowed to cool, there exist fissures or other pockets in the material due to cooling and solidifying thereof. In such materials are allowed to cool normally without any controlling factor, the heat thereof will be expelled through the metal container and the material will, therefore, begin its solidification adjacent the container, resulting in the presence of the fissures adjacent to the core orrcentral portion of the unit in which the members to be sealed are disposed. This would be undesirable as the fissures would leave portions of the vital portions of the unit unprotected against foreign particles and atmospheric conditions. .With the knowledge of these facts, the turret 38 is constructed as previously described, so that a cooling medium, such as water, may be circulated therethrough and through each of the supports 54, to cause the cooling of the sealing material toward the center of each unit, other means for retarding the cooling of the material nearer-the container, such as by the application'of heat to the container, being hereinafter described.

The cooling medium or water may be received from a supply line 65 through a thermostatically controlled valve-56 to the groove 39. The water, when admitted under force to the groove -30, will travel through the companion apertures in the members '28 and 34, through the passageways 45, into the compartment-42, through the tubular memebr iii of each of the supports 54, overflowing at the upper ends thereof andpassingdwvnwardly, contacting the thin wall of the-member 55 within each of the units and escaping through the compartment 43,-:passageways :46, through the companion apertures :in the :annular 'members .34 and 28, through .the -.annular .-groove 3|, and through a suitable outlet -51. LA-control unit 68, positioned to successively engage the outer supports 54 during their intervals of rest, functions through the connections!) incontrolling the valve Means is provided .to intermittently move the turret 38 aboutthe fixed shaft-24 and to lock it against movement duringdts intervals of rest. The moving means includes a motor I9 (Fig. 1) which is operativelyconnectedto an input shaft II of a speed reducing'unit I2 through'a belt and pulley connection I3. An output shaft 74 of the unit I2 extends vertically and has a cam element I5 mounted upon the upper end thereof and a cam I6 mounted upon thezlower end thereof. The cam element is keyed, as at I8,to a sleeve I9, the latter being fixed to the shaft. The purpose of this connection is to allow the cam element 15 to be moved vertically into and out of operative positions under thecontrol'of a cam surface 88 positioned to ride upon a cam roller 8 l the latter being supported by a cup-shaped structure 82 fixedly supported by the base 20. A circular arrangement of pins 84 are disposed at spaced positions in alignment with the inner circle of supports 54, to function in cooperation with a cam member 85 for the movement of the turret a given distance, namely the distance between the centers of the pins 84, to advance the supports 54 one station during each cycle of the cam element I5. There is also provided a cam portion 8'! positioned to ride under the adjacent pin 34 during each cycle of the cam-element T5 to force the latter downwardly should it not move downwardly by gravity under the control of 'the roller 8i.

A cam groove 89 is formed in the periphery of the cam element 85 and of a contour to cause 4 rocking of a locking lever into engagement with the adjacent pin 84 at the termination of each intermittent movement of the turret. In this manner the turret is lockeda-gainst rotary move- .ment during the rest period thereof, so as to automatically align the apertures 53 of the containers 52 with the nozzles of the units or valves for feeding the sealing material thereto, as will hereinafter bedescribed.

A hood 9?, arcuate in general contour, surrounds the supports 54 excepting at the loading position at the front of the machine, indicated at 98 (Fig. 1), where the units, to be filled, are

placed upon the supports 54 and those which have been filled and passedthrough the machine may be removed. The hood 9] has a main compartment I85 and an auxiliary compartment IIII separated by a partition 202 in which a series of apertures H33 (Fig. l) are disposed in circular arrangement throughout the partition. A heating unit -I 84, which may be of any-desiredcontour, is positioned adjacent an inlet I05 for the compartment I-BI, so that air from a blower I06 actuated by an electric motor I9! may be heated while passing into the compartment. The partition with its apertures I83 distributes the heated air throughout the compartment III! and causes itto pass uniformly into the compartment I59 to heat'the containers-52.

A receptacle III] for sealing material II! is rigidly mounted upon the shaft 24 and has an outlet -I I2. Suitable means (not-shown) may be provided toheat the material H5 in the receptacle M5 to convert it into a liquid so that it will flow freely through the outlet II2 to valves H4 and -I I5. The valves are disposed in a housing II6 which includes a heating element,.indicated generally at III, which is under the control of a thermostat Hi! to maintain the valves and the material at a desired temperature. Outlets or nozzles I28 and I ZI are provided for the valves H4 and H5, respectively, and are positioned to register with units during each interval of rest of the turret 38. The-valves I Hand I I5have levers -I23and I24 fixed to their outer ends, they in turn being pivotally connected to the adjacent ends of actuating rods I25 and 126, respectively.

These rods are slidably supported in suitable bearings I21 and carry cam-like fingers I28 and I29. Springs 139, disposed concentric with the rods betweenone ofthe bearing members I21 and their fingers I28 and I29 normally urge the rods to the right, to cause-movement of the valves roller I39 at its outer end, as illustrated in Fig. l.

When the core'oithesolenoid I32 is in its normal position the roller I39 is in the path of the finger I29 to hold the actuating rod I25 in a'position to the left, the roller 139 being removed fromthe path of the finger upon energization of the solenoid. A similar structure is provided for the solenoid I33, including a link I40 connecting its spring pressed core MI with a" lever M2, the latter being pivotally supported at I43=and carrying a roller I44. The roller I44 is positioned in the path of the finger I28 to hold-:the finger, together with its actuating rod I26, to the left against the force-of its spring I30 until the solenoid I33 is energized. The actuating rods I25 and I26 have collars I45 and I46 at given positions thereon positioned to be engaged by a slide I48, carried by the rods and movable through the actuation of an arm I49, which is connected to the slide through the aid of a pin or screw I50 receivable in an elongate aperture in the end of the arm. The arm I49 is fixedly mounted upon the upper end of a shaft I52 which is supported in suitable bearings and extends downwardly to a position beneath the base 28, where a cam lever I53 is mounted thereon. The cam lever I53 is shown in Fig. 2 and carries a cam roller I55, at its outer end, which is normally held in engagement with the cam 16 so that during each revolution of the cam, the cam lever I53 will be moved clockwise to move the arm I49 (Fig. 1) in the same direction, to move the slide I48 to force either or both of the actuating rods I25 and I28 so that their fingers I28 and I29 will engage their respective rollers I39 and M4. The cam-like surfaces of the fingers cause actuation of their levers I31 and I42 in movement into their set positions. This is, therefore, the setting mechanism for the valves H4 and H5. When the valves are set, passageways I58 communicate with the passageway II2 leading from the receptacle H9, so that a hollow portion I59 (Fig. 5) of each of the valves may be filled with the sealing material. At this time outlet passageways I89 are closed. to their nozzles I29 and I2I. Ports IBI are provided for each of the valves H4 and I I5, they having pairs of ports I62 to communicate with the ports I 6| while the valves are in their respective loading and unloading positions, so that air within the Valves may escape during the loading of the valves with the sealing material, and permit air to enter the valves during the unloading of the material into the units so that the liquid material which remains heated in the valves will be allowed to fiow freely through the nozzles associated therewith. It will be noted that the larger ends of the valves are closed by covers I83 including integral plug portions I64 (Fig. 1) which may be of varied sizes to vary the volume of the sealing material receivable into the hollow portions I59.

It is important that the valves l I4 and H5 are operated to allow their contents of sealing material to pass into the containers 52 as the units are successively positioned therebeneath. It is equally important that the valves remain inoperative should the operator, by accident, allow a filled unit to repeat its cycle of movement through the machine. To assure accurate operation of the valves, micro-switches (not shown) respectively disposed in circuits (not shown) for controlling their respective solenoids I32 and I33 are mounted so that their roller carrying arms will be actuated by the units to'be filled but will not be actuated by the units repeating their travel through the machine. The roller carry ng arms for the switches are indicated at I61 and IE8 and are movable to actuate their respective switches. The positioning of the hollow articles or electrical units relative to the switch arms I51 and I 68 is under the control of flexible and extensible endless belts I 12 and I13 supported by sheaves so that the upper portions of the belts will engage a plurality of the supports 54, while the lower portions thereof are held out of the path of the pins 84 through the aid of idler rollers or sheaves (not shown). It will. therefore, be apparent that when the operator places units to be filled upon the supports 54 at the loading position 98, certain of the terminals 5| of each'of the units will rest upon their respective belt I12 or I13, as indicated at the left (Fig. 2). By resting upon the belt, the upper end of the unit will be in the path of its respective arm I 81 or I68 to cause actuation of its switch. However, if the unit is one which has travelled through the machine and has previously been filled with the seealing material, as illustrated by the unit at the right of Fig. 2, this unit, after passing its respective switch arm I68 during its first travel through the machine, has dropped off of its belt I13 so that as it again approaches the belt, it will be in the lower position with the terminals 5| engaging the side wall of the belt and not resting upon the belt as shown. This difierence in position of the unit will locate the upper end thereof beneath its switch arm I68 so that at this time the valve I I4 will not be actuated as the solenoid I32 will not be energized. This same incident could occur in connection with the outer belt I12 and regardless of the number of units repeating their travel through the machine they will not interfere with the unfilled units.

Considering now the operation of the apparatus, let it be assumed that the machine is empty of units to be filled. The operator, stationed at the loading position 93 (Fig. 1), places the electrical units upon all of the supports 54, that is, both circular rows thereof, as they are brought into the loading position. The units, therefore, originally rest upon their respective belts I12 and I13 and as they reach their respective switch arms I61 and IE8, their switches are closed. causing energization of the solenoids I32 and I 33. It is immaterial as to when the solenoids are actuated with respect to each other. They may be actuated simultaneously or at different intervals of time, depending upon the positions of the units on the turret.

Assuming that the valves H4 and H5 have been previously filled with the quantities of sealing material these quantities will be deposited in their respective units, during the rest period of the turret, resulting from the energization of the solenoids to actuate their respective levers and release the fingers I28 and I29 so that the springs I39 may actuate the valves, opening the passageways to their nozzles so that their contents may flow into the containers of the units positioned beneath. This operation continues during the intermittent rota-tion of the turret which is brought about through the continuous operation of the motor 18 to drive its cam element 15 through the unit 12, to raise the element intermittently 50 that thecam member 85 will be positioned to engage the next successive pin 84 to rotate the turret 38 a given distance, the turret being immediately locked against further rotation.

During the operation of the machine the air from the blower I96, heated by the heating unit N34, is constantly circulated through the hood 91 to heat the containers 52 of the units being filled to control the solidification of the sealing material so that, through the cooling efiect of the supports 54 resulting from the cooling medium or water, the sealing material will cool more rapidly adjacent its center than at the outer portions thereof. This will result in a solid body of the sealing material about the coil or unit within the container. the presence of many fissures being located adjacent the container where they will not affect the unit.

Although specific improvements of the invention have been shown and described, it will be understood that they are but illustrative and that various modifications may loeflmade therein withoutdepartingifrom the scope :and spirit of this invention as defined by the appended claims.

What is claimed is:

1. In a machine for loading a casingsurrounding a hollow article with an insulating compound tohermetically seal the article in the casing, the machine comprising a hollow support formed to removablyfit into the hollow article and thereby lower than the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding the casing, through the hollow support to cool the support and the hollow article and thereby cool the inner portion of the compound adjacent the article in advance of the cooling of the outer portion thereof adjacent the casing.

2. In a machine for loading a casing surrounding a hollow article with an insulating compound to hermetically seal the article in the casing, the machine comprising a hollow support formed to removably fit into the hollow article and thereby support the article with its casing, a supply unit to support a supply of the insulating compound in a molten state, a valve operable to allow a given quantity of the molten insulating compound to flow from the unit into the casing to fill the casing and surround the article therein with the molten compound, means to circulate a cooling medium, having a temperature lower than the temperature of the atmosphere surrounding the casing, through the hollow support to cool the support and the hollow article and thereby cool the inner portion of the compound adjacent the article in advance of the cooling of the outer portion thereof adjacent the casing, and means to direct a heated fluid to the 9X- terior of the casing to retard the cooling of the a supply unit to support a supply of the insulating compound in a molten state, a Valve operable to allow a given quantit of the molten insulating compound to flow from the unit into the casing to fill the casing and surround the article therein with the molten compound, a tubular member extending into the hollow support and terminating short of the end thereof, and means to force a cooling fluid through the tubular member to the inner end of the hollow support and cause the cooling fluid to travel through the hollow support to cause cooling the inner portion of the compound adjacent the article in advance of the cooling of the outer portion thereof adjacent the casing.

4. In a machine for loading a casing surrounding a hollow article with an insulating compound to hermetically seal the article in the casing, the machine comprising a hollow support formed to removably fit intothe hollow article and thereby support the article with its casing, a supply unit to support a supply of the insulating compound in a molten state, a valve 0perable to allow a. given quantity of the molten insulating compound to flow from the unit into the casing to fill the casing and surround the article therein with the molten compound, a tubular member extending into the hollow support and terminating short of the end thereof,

means to force a cooling fiuid'through the tubular member to the inner end of the hollow support and cause the cooling fluid to travel through the hollow support to cause cooling the inner portion of the compound adjacent the article in advance of the cooling or" the outer'portion thereof adjacent the casing, and means to direct hot air to the exterior of the casing to retard the Coolingof the outer portion of the compound.

ERWIN 'E. FRANZ.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS 

